Paint My Memories
by FicheCeist
Summary: PG for now- may go up. Seven years after she ran back through the tunnel, Chihiro leads an empty life. She is an accomplished painter, a feat for one so young. But it's missing something... and on the night she gets into a near-fatal crash, he returns.


hi! yes, another one. so R&R!

Paint My Memories

Chapter 1: Late-night Nostalgia

It was one in the morning, and Chihiro was still awake. She sighed, but got up and put on her robe. She shivered at the cold floor under her feet, hopping around until she pulled on some socks. It was insanely late, but for some reason she just wasn't tired.

A sense that something was going to happen, a sort of foreboding, had been hanging over her all day. This had happened before, and the memory was still fresh in her mind...

Flashback

As she stood in front of the tunnel in the abandoned theme park, with the wind swirling around her, she had a sense that something was going to happen that would change her life forever.

But no, that was silly. She turned and ran after her parents.

End

Chihiro stiffened, realizing something _Wait... could it have something to do with Kohaku? Is he coming here? No... it's been 7 years... surely if he was coming, he would have come before now... _

...guess he isn't coming. Chihiro whispered, blinking back tears. She went out onto her balcony, throwing open the french doors and huddling against the railing.

A lot had happened in the past 7 years.

She had taken up painting 2 years after she returned from the spirit world, painting mostly pictures of that world, because the images in her mind were starting to fade, and she did not want to forget them. She was preserving them forever on canvas.

One of her paintings, a scene of the flower garden that Kohaku showed her, was deemed so good by her friends that they entered it in an artist's competition without her knowledge. She had won, and her fame as an artist was still growing to this day. She had sold hundreds of paintings to many prestigious galleries around the world, and was marvelously acclaimed for her scenes of otherworldly fantasy.

_If only they knew..._ she thought wryly. 

At the age of 16, she became a legal minor, and moved out of her parent's home. This involved dropping out of school, but she had skipped several grades and had already gotten her high school diploma. Her parents thought it was important that she had worldly experience, too, so they said that she could live on her own for 5 years, then go to college at 21. They knew she was more than competent to take care of herself.

So, when she received the legacy of a distant uncle (whom she never knew), she had enough money, along with some from her parents and from her savings, to buy a house on the banks of the Kohaku river. It somehow made her feel closer to him.

Chihiro had set up a studio and continued painting, while acquainting herself with the people of small town also along the banks of the river. She knew several people there now, including her best friends, Rini and Haya.

Chihiro smiled at the thought of her friends. T_hose two are strange beyond belief... Rini is always energetic, hyper, and bouncy. And Haya... Haya never shuts up! She's always talking. She even talks in her sleep!_

They were the only people she ever trusted enough to tell about her adventures in the spirit world. And even better, they believed her, and thought it was etc. In the words of Haya.

Chihiro shivered in her light robe, and turned around to head inside.

But she still couldn't fall asleep, so she got up once again and went downstairs to her painting studio.

This was Chihiro's favorite room in the house. She had painted the entire room with scenes of the Spirit world at night, with Kohaku the dragon winding throughout the dark and glittering world. It gave her inspiration to paint, which was what one needed in a place where one is going to paint.

At the moment, Chihiro was working on a picture of the cleansed water god floating above the still waters of the bath. She thought it was turning out rather well.

Chihiro worked on her painting for about an hour, the tension slowly seeping out of her muscles. This was the first time all day that she felt truly relaxed. She yawned. _I should go to bed now... I have two gallery openings tomorrow, and I promised to go nightclubing with Rini and Haya so we could show off our new dresses..._ She smiled.

Yesterday her friends had dragged her shopping with them, saying that they had found the perfect dress for her. And she had to admit, it was a beautiful dress. It was a knee-legnth, with a halter top. It was made of a shimmery fabric that caught the light, in an amazing shade of jade green. It reminded her of Kohaku's eyes, which was mostly why she bought it. Rini and Haya had gotten new dresses too, so they were traveling to the city tomorrow night to go dancing.

Next Morning

Chihiro awoke to sun full in the face and the sound of the phone ringing. She glanced at the clock. It was 9:37 in the morning. She yawned, grouchily answering the phone.

What do you want! She grumbled, getting out of bed.

Ogino-san? This is Akako Nakamura, manager of the art gala today. The voice on the other end of the line was warm and confident.

O-oh I'm so sorry, that was rude, um, I was just tired, I stayed up late painting...  
Chihiro stammered, mortified at being so rude to someone who was generous enough to let a lowly artist's paintings in her famous gallery.

So dedicated! It's alright, I've had to deal with worse. Once, there was a first time artist who was very nervous, and they got drunk on the sake we served at the reception. Made a complete fool of himself. Chihiro could hear the smile in her voice, and relaxed a little.

That's horrible! Poor them. She sympathized with the poor artist, remembering how nervous she had been at her first gallery opening.

Yeah, and that's not all. A reporter tried to interview him, but by that time he was so drunk that he hauled off and slugged the poor reporter. She snorted.

Chihiro laughed, feeling very at ease talking with this woman.

Anyway, Ogino-san, I wanted to ask if you could come at 12 o'clock instead of twelve thirty. We just need some advice on the placement of paintings.Sure! Don't have anything else to do, anyway. Chihiro made a mental note to herself to call Rini and Haya to tell them of the change of plans.

Oh, Nakamura-san, is it alright if I bring my friends with me? she questioned.

Hai, as long as they don't throw food. She sounded sincere.

Chihiro gasped. They would never do that!

Akako burst out laughing. I was kidding, Ogino-san. Chihiro couldn't help it, she started giggling along with her. It was funny! And she had sounded so sincere!

No, I don't think they will throw food, Nakamura-san.Alrighty then! See you at twelve! She hung up.

Chihiro hung up also, feeling strangely happy. She got up, humming to her self, to get ready for the gallery, and to call Rini and Haya.

Kohaku stood in Yubaba's office. This was the day he could finally be released from his servitude, the day his contract would br torn up and his name returned to him.

Yubaba entered, grumbling about incompetent workers.

Ah, now, Haku, you are early! she noticed him as she settled her considerable bulk at the chair behind her desk.

Yes, Yubaba, you promised. he said softly, not daring to look up in case he was dreaming.

Yes, I suppose I did. Here is your contract. Now be of with you before I change my mind! The doors flew open.

Yes, Yubaba. I will keep in touch.

He ran out the door, tearing his contract up on the way.

Hey Haku! Rin called, seeing him run past.

He veered off course, walking over to the older woman.

Are you free? Did you get your contract?

He smiled, although it still didn't reach his eyes. He had gained more humanity and emotion since Chihiro had come, but he still was his old stoic self on occasion, and large displays of emotion were uncharacteristic for him.

Hai, Rin. He held up the halfway torn-up paper.

Oh. So, what are you going to do now, Haku?Please call me Kohaku. I am going to the human world to find Chihiro.Should've known, She chuckled, Ah, well, Kohaku, we'll all miss you, in any case. Say hi to Se- sorry, Chihiro, for me.

She waved after him, clutching her broom, a sad little smile on her face.

He shot off towards the gateway to the human world, adrenaline pounding through his veins. I'm going to see her again... after eight years... will she even remember me?


End file.
